Tuning-peg for stringed instruments.



F. W. BECKER. TUNlNG PEG FOR STRINGED \NSTRUMENTS. APPUCA'HON FILED NOV.20 1913.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

' 1 8 INVENTOR WITNESSES FREDERICK w.

BECKER, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

TUNING-PEG- FOR STRING-ED INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24, 191 '7.

Application filed November 20, 1913. Serial No. 802,019.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. BECKER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTuning-Pegs for Stringed Instruments, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates stringed instruments, particularly pegs of thetype wherein frictional means is provided for holding the pegindependent of the friction of the latter within its socket.

Among the objects of this invention may be mentioned the provision of apeg of this character which is strong and durable and gives uniformfriction, removes all strain from the walls of the sound box, and fromgeneral outwardappearance, does not differ materially from the usual peghitherto used.

Further objects and advantages will more fully appear from the detaileddescription and the features of novelty consisting in the novelconstruction and combination of parts will be particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the drawing illustrating this invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view and Fig. 2 is a side view of a peg box of aviolin with my improved pegs applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the key and bushing detached from the pegbox, the section being taken at right angles to the section in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken along lines 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view partly in section, and Fig. 7 is an endview of the stem portion of the peg.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional detail view illustrating a modification.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of illustrating the roughening.

eferring in detail to the drawing, the peg box 10, having the side walls11 and 12, is provided with the usual apertures in which I insertrespectively bushings 13 and 14. These bushings may be made of wood orsome suitable composition and are held within the apertures either bytheir own friction or by some suitable adhesive. The peg proper consistsof a stem 15 mounted loosely within the bushings and provlded thebushing to tuning pegs for at a suitable a shoulder or collar end of thebushing 13 and outer end with a flattened To increase the strength ofthe finger piece in its engagement with the flattened portion 17 of thepeg, I preferably insert an angular washer 26 within the dished portionof the side face of the finger piece. This washer is formed'with anangular aperture 27 corresponding to the section of the flattenedportion 17. It will be noted that the finger piece extends transverselyto the main body of-the finger piece. This secures greater strength andavoids the tendency of the finger piece to crack which may occur whenthe long side of the aperture is positioned along the length of the flatbody portion. 1

To further secure uniformity of the frictional resistance and also toprotect the contacting surfaces, a washer 28 may be positioned betweenthe collar 16 and the interior end of the bushing 13 and a washer 29 maylikewise be located between the thumb nut 20 and the adjacent end of thefinger piece. The metal washers prevent binding between the contiguoussurfaces of the parts. The thumb nut is preferably formed with ametallic bushing 30 engaging the threaded portion 18 of the stem.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. 8, the bushing 13 is madeshorter and does not quite reach the interior of the wall of the pegbox. The shoulder 16 of the stem 15 engages a slightly dished washer 28edge of which engages the interior of the wall of the peg box. Theperiphery of the bushing 13 may be roughened if desired as appears inFig. 9 so as to more firmly engage the surface of the socket or aperturein the wall. Otherwise the construction is similar to that of the firstform described.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a eg in which the friction isentirely independent both of the socket and of the walls of the peg boxwithout adding any external parts to change the general appearance ofthe peg constructed on the usual plan hitherto employed. The friction isentirely confined to the ends of the bushings and by reason of the flatannular frictional surfaces having considerable diameter as comparedwith the diameter of the stem, not only is uniform friction assured atall times and in all adjustments, but also it will not be necessary toscrew the thumb nut very tightly to secure the requisite amount offrictional moment. The various parts are strong and durable and can alsobe readily replaced.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A tuning peg for stringed instruments comprising a bushing adapted tobe attached within an aperture in the wall of a peg box, a stemextending loosely through the bushing and adapted to have a stringattached thereto, said stem being provided with a flattened shank andprovided also with a collar engaging the inner end of the bushing, afinger piece for turning the stem mounted upon the shank and movablelongitudinally thereon and adapted to engage the outer end of thebushing, and a thumb nut threaded upon the end of the shank to clamp thefinger piece against the bushing, thereby holding the stem fromrotation, the central portion of the adjacent ends of the finger pieceand bushing being dished for the purpose set forth.

2. A tuning peg for stringed instruments comprising a bushing adapted tobe attached within an aperture in the wall of a peg box, a stemextending loosely through the bushing and adapted to have a stringattached thereto, said stem being provided with a flattened shank andprovided also with a collar engaging the inner end of the bushing, afinger piece for turning the stem mounted upon the shank and movablelongitudinally thereonand adapted to engage the outer end of thebushing, one of the engaging surfaces form to produce a uniform thefriction, and a thumb nut threaded upon the end of the shank to clampthe finger piece against the bushing, thereby holding the stem fromrotation.

3. A tuning peg for stringed instruments comprising a bushing adapted tobe attached within an aperture in the wall of a peg box, a stemextending loosely through the bushing and adapted to have a stringattached thereto, said stem being provided with a flattened shank andprovided also with a collar engaging the inner end of the bushing, afinger piece for turning the stem mounted upon the shank and movablelongitudinally thereon and adapted to engage the outer end of thebushing, the engaging sides of the finger piece and bushing beingenlarged to present a friction surface of considerable diameter, one ofthe friction surfaces being in the form of an annular ring, and a thumbnut threaded upon the end of the shank to bring the friction surfacesinto engagement and thereby hold the stem from rotation.

4. A tuning peg for stringed instruments comprising a bushing adapted tobe attached within an aperture in the wall of a eg box, a stem extendingloosely through the bushing and adapted to have a strin attachedthereto, said stem being provide with a flattened shank and providedalso with a collar engaging the inner end of the bushing, a finger pieceloosely mounted upon the shank adapted to engage the outer end of thebushing, the engaging ends of the finger piece and bushing beingenlarged to a considerable diameter, the central portion of the engagingends being dished whereby annular frictional surfaces disposed in planesperpendicular to the axis of the stem are formed, and a thumb nutthreaded upon the end of the shank to bring the frictional surfaces intoengagement.

5. A tuning peg for stringed instruments comprising a bushing adapted tobe attached within an aperture in the wall of a peg box, a stemextending loosely through the bushing and adapted to have a stringattached thereto, said stem being provided with a flattened shank andprovided also with a collar engaging the inner end of the bushing, afinger piece for turning the stem mounted upon the shank and movablelongitudinally thereon and adapted to engage the outer end of thebushing, the engaging ends of the finger piece and bushing beingenlarged to a considerable diameter, the central portion of the engagingends being dished whereby annular frictional surfaces disposed in planesperpendicular to the axis of the stem are formed, a washer of differentmaterial separating the friction surfaces, and a thumb nut threaded uponthe end of the shank to bring the frictional surfaces into engagement.

6. A tuning peg for stringed instruments comprising a stem extendingloosely through the wall of a peg box and provided with a flattenedportion, and a reduced threaded portion extending therefrom, a fingerpiece mounted upon the flattened portion and provided at its inner endwith an annular friction surface of comparatively narrow width, a washerhaving an aperture corresponding to the flattened portion of the stemsunk in the interior end of the finger piece within the annular frictionsurface, and means engaging the threaded portion of the stem forclamping the friction surface of the finger piece against a portionstationary with the wall of the peg box.

7 A tuning peg for stringed instruments comprising a stem extendingloosely through the wall of a peg box and provided with a flattenedportion, and a reduced threaded portion extending therefrom, a fingerpiece mounted upon the flattened portion, the aperture in the fingerpiece through which said flattened portion passes having its long sideextending transversely of the finger portion, the finger piece beingalso provided at its inner end with an annular friction surface ofenlarged diameter but of narrow width, a washer having an aperturecorresponding to the flattened portion of the stem sunk in the interiorend of the finger piece within the friction surface, and means forclamping the friction surface of the finger piece against a portionstationary with the wall of the peg box.

peg for stringed instruments comprislng a pair of bushings adapted to beapertures in the walls of the peg box, a stem extending loosely throughthe bushing and adapted to have a string attached thereto, said stembeing provided with a flattened shank and an elongated threaded portionextending therefrom and also with a projection engaging the inner end ofone of the bushings, a finger piece removably mounted upon the shank forturning the stem and adapted to engage the outer end of the adjacentbushing, the contiguous portions of the finger piece and bushing beingenlarged and formed with annular friction surfaces, the portion at theinterior of the friction surfaces being dished to prevent contact of thesame, a metallic washer between the friction surfaces, and a thumb nutthreaded upon the end of the threaded portion of the stem adjacent tothe finger piece Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by

and adapted to force the friction surfaces into frictional engagement.

9. A tuning peg for stringed instruments comprising a pair of bushingsadapted to be attached within apertures in the walls of the peg box, astem extending loosely through the bushing and adapted to have a stringattached thereto, said stem being provided with a flattened shank and areduced threaded portion extending therefrom and also with a projectionengaging the inner end of one of the bushings, a finger piece forturning the stem removably mounted upon the shank and yieldablelongitudinally thereof and adapted to engage the outer end of theadjacent bushing, the contiguous portions of the finger piece andbushing being enlarged and formed with annular friction surfaces, theportion at the interior of the annular friction surfaces being dished toprevent contact of the same, a metallic washer between the frictionsurfaces, a thumb nut formed with a metallic bushing threaded upon theend of the threaded portion of the stem adjacent to the finger piece andadapted to force the friction surfaces into engagement, and washersbetween the projection on the shank and the innner end of the adjacentbushing and between the thumb nut and the adjacent end of the fingerpiece.

10. A tuning peg for stringed instruments comprising abushing adapted tobe attached within an aperture in the wall of a peg box, a stemextending loosely through the bushing and adapted to have a stringattached thereto, said stem being provided with a flattened shank andprovided also with a collar disposed within the peg box and serving asan abutment, a finger piece for turning the stem mounted upon the shankand movable longitudinally therein and adapted to engage the outer endof the bushing, one of the engaging surfaces being annular in form toproduce a uniform friction, and a thumb nut threaded upon the end of theshank to clamp the finger piece against the bushing, thereby holding thestem from rotation.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 17th day of September, A. D. 1913.

FREDERICK W. BECKER.

Witnesses:

WM. I. COHEN, EVE Axon.

addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

